Egypt AH 1293(16-W) 20 qirsh
The coin shown is a silver twenty qirsh from the reign of Abdul Hamid II. It was struck at the Brussels Mint. The obverse bears the toughra, or signature, of the sultan, with the denomination written below (abbreviated as the letter 'sh' for qirsh) with the number 20 above. A crude floral design sits right of the toughra. The reverse carries the accession date and the text minted in Misr (Misr is Arabic for Egypt). The date is written as AH 1293 year 16, which translates to about 1890 AD.
The example shown was presented as lot 615 on Dec 13, 2011 at the Kunker Auction #199 in Osnabrück, Germany, where it sold for 440 Euros. The catalog description reads:
"OSMANISCHE MÜNZEN 'ABD AL-HAMÎD KHAN II. (TÜRKEI-TÜRKISCH: ABDÜLHAMIT HAN) 10. SHA’BÂN 1293 - 6. RABÎ II 1327 H. 31. AUGUST 1876 - 27. APRIL 1909, GESTORBEN 10. FEBRUAR 1918 Silberprägungen der Münzstätte Misr (Kairo) 20 Kurush 1293 H., 16, "Misr" (Kairo), geprägt in Brüssel, Mzz. W. Mit Blume neben der Tughra. Selten, besonders in dieser Erhaltung. Fast Stempelglanz Exemplar der Auktion Heritage 357, September 2004, Nr. 13350 (Ottoman coins of Abdul Hamid II, 1876-1909, Cairo mint. Silver twenty qirsh of AH 1293, year 16, struck in Brussels, mintmark "W", with bloom near the toughra. Rare, especially in this condition. Nice mint state. From heritage Auction 357 (September 2004), lot 13350.)"
Recorded mintage: 55,000.
Specification: 28.0 g, 0.833 fine silver, 0.750 troy oz ASW, this specimen 28.00 g.
Catalog reference: Pere 989, KM 296; Ölcer 34.614.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Valentine, W.H., Modern Copper Coins of the Muhammadan States, London: Spink and Sons, 1911.
- [1]Uslu, Kaan, Beyazit, M. Fatih, and Kara, Tuncay. Ottoman Empire Coins, Istanbul: Mas Matbaacilik A.S., 2007.
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